Bleacher Report - Articles by Blake Mehigan

Kings Coach Paul Westphal Spark Of The Youth Movement in Sacramento

Blake Mehigan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:46:48 -0500

The Sacramento Kings are once again have one win more than losses. They were over .500 once this season at 5-4, but then lost four straight games. Although most of the games in that stretch were close, they lost four straight none the less.

Since falling three games bellow .500, coach Paul Westphal and his team of young scrappers have pulled together four straight wins. All four wins were hardly close. In the Kings win against New Orleans, seldom used guard Sergio Rodriguez had a break out game. Rodriguez poured in 25 points to go with five assists.

Westphal has been key to the revitalization of a team that was unbearable to watch last year. The Kings coach really knows how to get the best out of what he is given.

With the arrival of Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, and Jon Brockman, Sacramento had attempted to forge an identity. The forging is working. A team that looked very uninterested and disjointed last season has appeared to flipped the switch.

They now play every possession with passion and energy, with all five players functioning as a cohesive unit at all times. Their defense is tough, their offense is patient, and their rebounding is among the tops in the league. Which is a far cry from last season, for everything with this team.

One thing is clear: this years team is nothing remotely close to last years team.

Westphal's team has grit and determination. They play hard every possession and are relentless on defense. He has even begun to bring along Donte Greene very nicely, who had a horrendous rookie season.

Westphal's record is a true testament to his coaching abilities. The former Sonics coach is half way to tying the win mark Kings had last season. Sacramento won 17 of 82 games last season.

It's scary to think how good the Kings can be when they get leading scorer Kevin Martin back and solid contributor Francisco Garcia back from injury. That is, if coach Westphal can find them minutes.

It will be difficult, considering how well Andres Nocioni, Greene, and Casspi are playing. Not to mention starters Evans and Beno Udrih have played well together. Also with the emergence of Rodriguez. There is only one ball and oh so many minutes to go around. Especially when it is between a plethora of competent players.

One thing coach Westphal has done all season is use his bench extensively. So if his early philosophy is indicative of whats to come, a majority of the bench will see some action on a nightly basis.

Some will play more than others, but none the less, the players who want to play and play hard will get the minutes they deserve. Case and point, Brockman, Casspi, and Green. The best is yet to come for this young Kings team. And although a playoff birth is very unlikely, strong play is something that will continue for sure.

Tyreke Evans Is Quickly Becoming a King In Sacramento

Blake Mehigan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:01:50 -0500

This past summer, the Sacramento Kings had the best chance of landing the first pick of the NBA draft. The deputy commissioner hosted an event, pulling the team logos from concealed envelops with the selection numbers marked on them.

Envelope four is opened,the card is revealed—the Kings get the fourth pick.

My first reaction was bewilderment, then shortly after, contempt. I am now almost certain the system is rigged. David Stern hates the Sacramento Kings.

Former Kings player Chris Webber was Sacramento's representative at the lottery drawing. Webber shook his head in disgust when he saw his former team did not get a top three pick.

The Kings landed the fourth pick. They literally had no chance to select Blake Griffin, who was the consensus top pick. At the time, it seemed as if they had no chance at landing coveted Spaniard Ricky Rubio.

On draft night, the moment had arrived. It's the fourth pick and Ricky Rubio was miraculously still available. Finally, David Stern approached the podium:

"With the fourth pick, in the 2009 NBA draft, the Sacramento Kings select Tyreke Evans from the University of Memphis."

Everyone was a little bit shocked and a little unsure of the selection. These people had no idea how good the kid is.

A little over a month into the season, it would be pretty hard for anyone to say that Geoff Petire made a mistake.

The Kings got Tyreke Evans. The Timberwolves selected Ricky Rubio one pick after Sacramento.

Rubio is currently playing in Spain.

Evans is making a case to considered a Rookie of the Year candidate. He has come close to a triple-double on a more than one occasion. But what is so remarkable about the young Kings talent is his prowess at such a young age.

Evans is a 20 year old rookie playing like a seasoned veteran.

He has no fear in making things happen. Evans has carried the team on his back on many nights. Especially after leading scorer Kevin Martin suffered a fractured wrist.

Not to mention he has taken and made big shots on several occasions. Earlier this season, Evans made a three pointer against New Orleans early that helped secure a win for Sacramento.

Evans drives to the hoop with such strength and determination. And yet, he is incredibly graceful and agile. He is quite a force when attacking the basket.

His jump shot is improving game by game too. Once he becomes a threat from downtown and from mid-range, he will be nearly unguardable. Matter of fact, he already is pretty close to unguardable.

With his size, smaller opponents can't contain him physically. Evans quickness and incredible deception with the ball make him a tough cover for bigger players. Simply said, he is an anomaly.

His enormous confidence and play-making ability makes Evans a tough cover for any player. Regardless of the opponents size and physical ability.

The man they call 'Ryeke is quickly establishing himself as a player to be taken seriously. Kings fans already know it, and soon enough the rest of the league will know it if they have not figured it out yet.

Off The Record

Sacramento plays the New York Knicks tomorrow night. The Kings are on a four game skid and will hope to put an end to it against the struggling Knicks.

New York played a hard fought game against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, fighting the Celtics through overtime.

It will not be an easy game for Sacramento, as they need to make sure they are getting back on defense. The Knicks like to get up quick shots and can score a lot in a hurry, especially in transition.

Limiting New York's three point attempts will be key. Al Harrington will be a handful as well, as he is averaging 20.2 points per game off the Knicks' bench.

Tip-off is at seven PM Pacific Standard Time.

I will be attending the game, so maybe you will see me there. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Sacramento Kings' Beno Udrih and the Lost Art of the Mid-Range Jumpshot

Blake Mehigan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:02:50 -0500

Beno Udrih has begun to play very well since being moved to the starting line. Udrih replaced the oft injured Kevin Martin, who fractured his wrist. Sacramento Kings announcer Jerry Reynolds has called him the Tazmanian Slovenian, referencing a spin move Udrih uses and his native country.

Udrih had struggled mightily last year. He started at point guard to the dismay of many Kings fans. People had doubted his abilities and the contract he received in the summer of 2008.

The former Spur is having a resurgence this year. Udrih has killed the opposition from mid-range. Yes, that spot inside the three-point arc, but above the free throw line.

The mid-range jumper is Muy Bueno Beno's bread and butter. That is another nickname coined by color commentator Jerry Reynolds.

The mid-range shot is a lost art. Many teams focus on attacking the hoop, in hopes of either scoring point blank or finding a player open on the wing. The mid-range jump shot is typically something not as emphasized in a teams arsenal.

Udrih has become a much more effective player this year. He can shoot from behind the arc and attack the hoop to compliment his strong mid-range game.

His seventeen foot pull up jumper makes him tough to cover. This makes Udrih a valuable asset in pick and roll/pick and pop style plays.

If he keeps up his play, Udrih will be in a Kings uniform for many years. The question is if he will start once leading scorer Kevin Martin comes back.

The answer is probably not. But he will have minutes as long as he keeps playing this well.

Et Cetra.

Sacramento was above .500 for the first time since 2006. The Kings have lost three games straight to follow. In each game the Kings have fought relentlessly but have come up short.

Coach Paul Westphal has managed to get his players to scrap and play hard every possession. Sacramento will not likely finish with a winning record, but they will prove to be a formidable opponent.

Sacramento will likely have another lottery pick and Kenny Thomas' contract will come off the books this summer. The Kings will likely look to make a big splash this summer; through the draft or via free agency. Either way, things are certainly looking up for the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento Kings' Jason Thompson Emerging as a Premier Post Player

Blake Mehigan — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:01:16 -0500

Drafting Jason Thompson garnered mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike. Sacramento selected Thompson 12th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. Thompson came out of Rider University, a small school located in Lawrenceville, NJ.

Since then, many skeptics have been silenced. Thompson has been very productive. In his rookie campaign, he averaged 11 points per game and seven rebounds. This season Thompson is averaging a double-double, pouring in about 15 points per game and 10 rebounds per game.

The former Rider University product has begun to settle in nicely for Sacramento. Thompson is a cornerstone in the team's offense in the post. The man, known as JT, has also posted 20-point, 10-rebound stat lines on several occasions this season.

Thompson has emerged as a heavy hitter in what was thought to be a sparse Kings rotation. With his height and athleticism, JT has established himself as a dangerous and multi-dimensional player.

He can handle the ball in the open court, pass well, shoot from mid-range, and post up. Not to mention he can run the floor as well as any player. Thompson is fleet of foot, compared to most post players in the NBA.

Thompson is still a work in progress. But when he can pull everything together he is a nightmare for the opposition.

Author's Note

In my last article, I had been very critical of Donte Greene. Since then, the Syracuse product has played very well on a few different occasions.

The Kings' prospect put up 10 points in limited action against the Jazz, and 17 against the Warriors. Greene's best game so far came in Tuesday night's loss against the Chicago Bulls.

Greene had a career high 23 points and five rebounds. He led the team in points coming off his first start of the season. Greene has made the most of his opportunities in recent games.

Hopefully this is just a sampling of what is yet to come. Especially for someone as talented as Donte Greene.

Optimism Fading For Donte Greene, Growing for Sacramento Kings' Rookies

Blake Mehigan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:21:20 -0500

Donte Greene is an exuberant young athlete. He has his own Internet show sponsored by the Sacramento Kings and is always trying to pump up the crowd from the sidelines. Greene has also become close friends with players such as Jason Thompson.

While Greene is such a great personality in the locker room and active in the community, he has struggled to find a niche on this fledgling Kings team.

Greene was wildly inconsistent last year for the Kings. He appeared in 55 games, started four, and put up less than four points per game in his rookie campaign. Along with abysmal shooting percentages from the floor and behind the arc, Greene managed to grab a meager 1.5 rebounds in a little more than 13 minutes per game.

The former Syracuse recruit showed great promise in the 2008 NBA summer league, posting 40 points in his summer league debut at the age of 19. The Kings had acquired Greene, Bobby Jackson and the Rockets’ 2009 first-round draft pick from Houston in an offseason trade for Ron Artest.

Jackson has since retired, and the Kings drafted the first Israeli player to the NBA in Omri Casspi with Houston’s 2009 pick. Now Sacramento and its fans will wait for Greene to hopefully tap into some of the vast potential he has.

For Greene, the sky is the limit. Standing 6’11”, Greene is an athletic forward who can hurt a team inside and outside. He has deep range on his jump shot, is capable of driving the lane and can play either the wing or the post.

It is often said that height and athleticism cannot be taught. Instead, certain players are born with them. Coach Paul Westphal has recognized that Greene has each, saying that Greene can earn more playing time by using his talent to become a better defensive player.

Greene’s long term future is uncertain, as it is for any young and raw athlete playing at a professional level. The Kings picked up Greene’s option for the 2010-2011 season. By that time, Greene will have had three seasons to prove himself as a capable NBA player.

Kings fans only hope Greene’s situation does not follow the same road Gerald Wallace’s did. Wallace rode the bench on a stacked Kings team in the early 2000’s, showing brief moments of potential to be a good player. Wallace was picked by the Charlotte Bobcats in the expansion draft and has become arguably their best player.

It would be very unfortunate for Geoff Petrie and the Kings organization, if Greene’s potential had not developed due to a lack of playing time.

Greene’s future has taken a bit of a back seat to all of the rookies on the Kings this season.

Tyreke Evans, the fourth overall pick in this years draft, dropped 32 points against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Evans led the Kings to victory after being down as much as 15 in the first half. The victory came in spite of Kevin Martin being out because of a fractured wrist.

Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman are hard as rocks, as is Evans. Casspi is a Nocioni type player, except a bit longer and perhaps a bit more athletic. Casspi is a scrapper, brings a lot of energy to the floor and is a great shooter.

Brockman is a bit undersized for his position, but makes up for it by having a nose for the ball. The former Huskie and collegiate teammate of Spencer Hawes, is an aggressive rebounder with relentless drive.

Evans, Casspi and Brockman are trying to change the soft, pushover mentality that has been is associated with Kings teams of the past.

It seems to be working.

The Kings have appeared to be playing more physical, with tougher defense and showing some grit. Collectively, the Kings are carving out an identity worthy of mention. They play hard, and it shows.

Two and four is not a record to be proud of, but it is not a record to be ashamed of, and a large step in the right direction from last season. The Kings won’t be fighting for a playoff spot, but they will give teams trouble and maybe steal a win here and there.

For those fans who can look past last season and what is sure to be another losing season, they can see the silver lining. And though that lining is thin, the glimmer is bright.

New Sacramento King Sean May Faces Make-or-Break Year

Blake Mehigan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:12:27 -0500

Sean May was a former top pick of the Charlotte Bobcats back in 2005, selected 13th overall. As a Tar Heel, May was an imposing force with his size and his inside-outside game.

He helped lead North Carlina to a national title in 2005 along with Raymond Felton, Marvin Williams, and Rashad McCants. All three were also top picks by their respective teams.

May has struggled to find consistency thus far due to nagging injuries, plaguing him so much that he has played a mere 82 games in his four-year career. May missed all of the 2007-2008 season recovering from surgery.

The Kings have given the talented but oft-injured big man a shot to redeem himself this season. May has even started the first four games of the year, including the home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies.

During the off-season May worked out vigorously to loose excess weight to reduce the likely hood of injury and be more effective. Despite having a solid preseason May has been off to a slow start so far.

May is posting a scant three and a half points per game to go with a sparse two rebounds per game in nearly 13 minutes, all career lows for the former Tar Heel.

Spencer Hawes has started the past two games, moving May to the bench. May could be seeing even fewer minutes too, considering Kenny Thomas has been surprisingly effective. Not to mention coach Westphal is trying to find time for Donte Greene, Omri Casspi and Jon Brockman.

Despite being in the best shape of his career, May has been unable to play near his potential. May seems far away for the 11.9 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game he posted in his sophomore season for the Bobcats.

In the brief stints I’ve seen May on the court he seems to have all the tools to be a very good player. He can pass, has an outside shot, can bang around the hoop and takes up a lot of space on the court with his wide frame.

Unfortunately for May, he has been unable to put it all together, and I have only caught a glimpse of what he can do. Barring some serious injuries to the team, May could very well ride the bench for the rest of the year, playing little to no minutes.

Only time will tell, but hopefully for Sean May and the Kings, the best is yet to come for the former top pick. But if his play thus far is any indication, this could be May’s only season in Sacramento and final year in the league.

Four Big Things (and One Dominant Player) To Remember from the 2008-09 NBA Season

Blake Mehigan — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:02:54 -0400

This season has been crazier than Anthony Anderson was during the Kings romping of the Knicks this past Friday in New York. The Pacers, a team that will not be making the playoffs, beat the Lakers, Celtics, Magic and Cavaliers all at least once this year. The Clippers beat the Celtics in LA, only to travel to Sacramento and get run out of the gym by the worst team in the league. Antonio McDyess was traded to the Nuggets from the Pistons, then bought out by the Nuggets, and resigned with the Pistons. Stephon Marbury went from being a banished player in New York, to a key piece off the bench for the Celtics. Is there any point to all of this? Not really. I'm merely making observations about things that happened this year. And as this season draws to a close, there are five other things that happened I would like honor. How will I honor these things? By writing this mediocre article that will probably be scoffed at by just about anyone who reads it. Here are five arbitrary things that I felt needed to be mentioned about this season.

Begin Slideshow

Sacramento Kings Race to the Bottom

Blake Mehigan — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:24:21 -0400

This has been a season to forget in Sacramento.

The Kings are currently on pace to have the worst record in franchise history, almost managed to go winless against the Eastern Conference this season, and not to mention are on their fourth head coach in three years.

As each game that passes means less and less, the looming question is: What next?

This offseason will be huge for the Kings. They have to decide who will be their coach, which players they will have to sign or let go, and there will almost certainly be more trades over the summer.

This offseason could be heavily dictated by whom the Kings will pick in the draft. Assuming the Kings land the first pick, the debate will be, Blake Griffin or Ricky Rubio?

They are two radically different players. Griffin is a big, bruising post player, while Rubio is a lanky finesse point guard. But the debate really is not over these two players, it is really on a more philosophical level. Pick for need or for talent?

For the need, the Kings should pick Rubio, hands down. He is described as being a great passer with amazing court vision. Although he lacks explosiveness and deep range on his jump shot, he is garnering more attention than any player coming out of Europe has in quite some time.

Rubio is also only 18 years old and was a starter on the Spain national team during the Olympics, a team that went to the Gold Medal game and lost to the Redeem Team. Rubio is a talented player with a whole lot of upside and could be a very nice pick for the Kings.

For the talent, Blake Griffin is considered by many to be best player in this year’s draft. He is a big athletic player, great rebounder, and very aggressive. His main knock has been his very raw offensive skills.

He is a very capable big man with soft hands and is capable of charging down the lane for a double-fisted slam. He has all of the physical tools to be a great player in the NBA, but he will need to learn some moves around the hoop if he wants to become a force in the paint.

Taking all of this into account, the question remains: Pick the best available or pick for need?

Considering how many point guards will be in this next year’s draft, taking Rubio over Griffin would almost be a crime. With Houston’s first-round pick this year as well, the Kings could potentially fill two roles desperately needed: a post presence and a distributor.

This is all based on the slim chance that the Kings will actually get the top pick, considering in the 24 years the lottery has been around, only four teams with the worst record snagged the top pick.

With so many factors to account for this offseason, to make any predictions at this point is really silly. But, considering how little there is to talk about this season regarding the Kings, why not look ahead to the one thing that has not gone wrong yet: the possibility of landing a great young player.

Off the Record

Rashad McCants dropped 30 points a few nights back against the Bobcats in Charlotte. Despite the Kings losing that game, a bright positive came out of it. McCants had really struggled to find a niche for himself since coming into the league. But since coming to Sacramento in the deadline deal from Minnesota, McCants has been posting some great numbers.

After joining the Kings, McCants has been shooting around 50 percent from the field, around 40 percent from behind the ark, and has averaged a little over 10 points a game in a little less than 20 minutes a game.

McCants had been given a second chance when he came to Sacramento, and will be garnering much attention from teams over the summer with his solid performance late in the season. Maybe McCants will be a part of the Kings' future. He could be a vital piece off the bench.

Sacramento Kings Suffering through Growing Pains

Blake Mehigan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:44:27 -0500

Since their first game of the season, the Kings have been very inconsistent.

Sacramento lost all their first four games on the road, then came back to Arco Arena and rattled off three straight wins. This was followed by four losses in the next five games.

Inexperience is what the Kings are suffering from.

As it stands today, the Kings are 4-8, but could just as easily be 7-5 had they managed to close out three close games—all decided by two points.

The Kings are a team that is maybe a year or two away from being a serious competitor. But until everything comes together, Kings fans will have to choke down another thrity-something-win season.

However, with the plethora of young talent Sacramento has to offer, it is hard not to be optimistic about the future. The Kings have three rookies this season in Jason Thompson, Donte Greene, and Bobby Brown, as well as Spencer Hawes, who has played well in his sophomore season. Hawes, Brown and Thompson have all been very solid players in the Kings rotation, while Greene has only seen limited minutes so far.

The Kings have also dealt with Brad Miller’s suspension, Quincy Douby’s sprained ankle, and are still waiting for Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia to come back. Hopefully once Martin and Garcia return, the Kings will finally be in business.

By then, Theus will have an ultra-deep bench to work with in Garcia, Hawes, Brown, and Thompson—if Thompson doesn’t get bumped to the starting lineup. This core wil be rounded out by Bobby Jackson, Sheldon Williams, and Quincy Douby or Donte Greene, all very capable players.

The starting lineup is—well, they have some players. In order from five to one: Brad Miller, Mikki Moore, John Salmons, Kevin Martin, and Beno Udrih.

Mikki is really more of a vocal leader and energy player, a perfect role for a bench player. Udrih is a good shooter and scorer, but lacks the ball-handling skills that make for a solid point guard.

Geoff Petrie has stated that he does not plan on making any moves anytime soon, so the team you see is the team you'll get. Although it may be hard to watch them struggle right now, the Kings will be a solid team in a few years. With a post tandem of Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson, the future is very bright.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and good sports teams aren’t thrown together overnight. Give them time, people—the construction has just begun.

Francisco Garcia: Starter Or Sixth Man for the Kings?

Blake Mehigan — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:16:41 -0400

Since the departure of Ron Artest, many Kings fans have wondered as to who would step in at small forward. Eventually, John Salmons was named the starter, which meant Francisco Garcia would come off the bench. It seemed very likely that Garcia would have a shot at cracking the starting rotation after posting solid numbers this past season.

Salmons and Garcia are two players with similar games. The slight difference between them is that Salmons is known more for his man-to-man defense while Garcia is a stronger shooter. They are both solid ball handlers who can create for themselves and teammates. The one glaring difference between the two is Salmons inability to perform off the bench.

As a starter last year Salmons was very productive, posting an average of 17.5 points per game on 49.7% shooting, along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 41 starts. As a sub Salmons' averages took a nosedive, scoring just 7.4 points, grabbing 3.2 rebounds and dishing out 1.6 assists per contest. The most significant difference was his three-point shooting percentage, dropping from 38.1% as a starter to 21.4% off the bench.

Garcia is balanced and brings energy off the bench while Salmons does not. The energy and enthusiasm Garcia brings as a sixth man is important to have. Garcia’s versatility makes him effective as a starter, but even more so as a reserve.

As a backup compared to a starter, Garcia shoots a higher percentage: 46.9% to 44.9% from the field and 39.9% to 37% from behind the arc. He scores more efficiently too, 10.9 points in 23.1 minutes per contest as a reserve, compared to 16.4 points in 36.8 minutes in 20 starts. Garcia is the better option off the bench.

Salmons has proven to be more effective as a starter and Garcia more effective as a bench player. Garcia is arguably more suited to play small forward, considering Salmons is slightly undersized, but with Salmons as the starter and Garcia off the bench, the Kings are more balanced.

Quite frankly it does not matter who starts and comes off the bench, Salmons and Garcia are interchangeable at small forward. As long as Garcia is playing enough and Salmons is starting, the Kings should be just fine.

If Petrie decides to make a change and trade Salmons, Garcia will be named the starter undoubtedly, baring some unbelievable performances from Donte Greene. If Salmons' slow start persists through the beginning of the season, Garcia should see more playing time. When that change may come is hard to tell, but for now, Garcia will come off the bench and Salmons will start.